Got a 'new' 1.6 the other day and almost immediately after I'd signed over and handed over the money I started the car and it was lumpy - didn't happen on the test drive. It's been ok for a couple of hundred miles and it's started again - I think it's a timing belt issue as it's due for a change. Any advice would be great.

It won't be anything to do with the timing belt, a timing belt either works fine or it snaps, performance doesn't deteriorate as the belt ages 

 

If you're due a major service then you should get that work done first before escalating to a fault diagnosis from this forum.

 

 

It could be any number of things but agree with sepulchrave it's not going to be the timing belt.

 

I'd start by getting the car read for error codes to see if there are any that might give an indication as to what the cause of the lumpy tick over might be.

Always start with full service for the whole car no just the relatively unimportant engine.  What is usually missed from a service of the engine, which many owners and garages take to mean just an engine oil & filter change, is also often cleaning, air filter replacement, throttle body, MAF as appropriate.

 

Giving the car a good blowout run 30+ miles on motorway or similar can often help as well as a couple of tankfuls of better fuel like V-power.

 

Also very important to running is that the car battery is not allowed to go too low in charge, you may still be able to start the car and the lights seem bright enough but the battery could still be too low for the over-complicated and invasive computer programs, particular battery monitor and start/stop programs, that the computers will throw up all sorts of problems.

 

Check the battery condition and state of charge.

 

Do not take raw error codes as an answer as usually they are only pointing to where the proper diagnostics should start.

 

If you do not have access to a decent scan tool here is a quick, easy and free way to reset the computers and systems.   Good luck. - 

 

 

 

One of the most common issues with this "lumpy" running is when cars get serviced or checked over before outting is they rush putting things back together leaving small rubber pipes off and not making sure the filter/fliter body and pipes are not correctly sealed so before you start messing around check these out or better still if you bought the car from a dealership take it back and complain that it's not running right as most used cars have a 3 month warrenty 

2 hours ago, nta16 said:

Always start with full service for the whole car no just the relatively unimportant engine.  What is usually missed from a service of the engine, which many owners and garages take to mean just an engine oil & filter change, is also often cleaning, air filter replacement, throttle body, MAF as appropriate.

 

Giving the car a good blowout run 30+ miles on motorway or similar can often help as well as a couple of tankfuls of better fuel like V-power.

 

Also very important to running is that the car battery is not allowed to go too low in charge, you may still be able to start the car and the lights seem bright enough but the battery could still be too low for the over-complicated and invasive computer programs, particular battery monitor and start/stop programs, that the computers will throw up all sorts of problems.

 

Check the battery condition and state of charge.

 

Do not take raw error codes as an answer as usually they are only pointing to where the proper diagnostics should start.

 

If you do not have access to a decent scan tool here is a quick, easy and free way to reset the computers and systems.   Good luck. - 

 

 

Thanks, I did a 3 hour run from Cardiff to north wales. The idle lumpiness is only occasional - I believe the battery is the original one - I will replace it along with a full service and cam belt kit as soon as I can. On another note (I hope it's acceptable to mix topics here) will polo or Octavia rear headrests fit in the Fabia? 

1 hour ago, JPW2010 said:

On another note (I hope it's acceptable to mix topics here) will polo or Octavia rear headrests fit in the Fabia? 

 ?

Polo 9N stuff should fit, Octavia less likely.

13 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

Polo 9N stuff should fit, Octavia less likely.

 

The headrests between the Mk1 and Mk2 Fabias are similar, only varying in design AFAIK. In which case, 9N stuff will definitely fit, my centre rear headrest is from a 2008 9N3. Colour is ever so slightly off but that's about it.

 

With that same logic, you can use stuff from the 6L SEAT Ibiza too.

 

I have my doubts about Octavia stuff due to the design of the guide tubes but I can't confirm exactly.

Edited 25 January, 20224 yr by AnnoyingPentium